Chennai: In a bid to eliminate fake faculty members in engineering colleges, Anna University inspection teams have begun verifying geotagged photos of staff and videographing the inspection process. A face-based authentication system has also been implemented to ensure authenticity.
Inspection Process for 2026-27 Academic Year
Some 463 engineering colleges have applied for extension of approval for the 2026-27 academic year. Anna University Registrar (in charge) V Kumaresan stated, “The inspection teams are verifying the details of faculty members, including their academic credentials, experience, and publication details. They also check lab requirements and infrastructure facilities during the physical inspection.”
Faculty Identification Number (FIN) System
The university had previously assigned engineering faculty members a 10-digit faculty identification number (FIN) along with a geotagged photo, personal, and academic credentials before the inspection for the 2026-27 academic year began. This system aims to prevent faculty from being shown working in multiple colleges simultaneously.
Inspection Timeline
Kumaresan confirmed that the inspection process will be completed before June 10. The university is expected to grant extension of approval to all eligible colleges before the release of the engineering rank list on June 29.
Concerns Raised by College Principals
However, some concerns have emerged. A principal from a city college noted, “Some inspection teams are not accepting faculty members who are above 60 years. According to AICTE norms, a faculty member can be employed till 65 years. Further, professors are not accepting reasons for absence, even for those with genuine reasons.” This is the first physical inspection conducted after the suspension of Anna University officials over the fake faculty issue.
Demand for Transparency
Radhakrishnan M of Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption NGO, stated, “Anna University is yet to release the details of the colleges which showed fake faculty members. They also should ban such colleges from taking part in the engineering counselling.” The NGO had previously exposed that more than 350 faculty members were shown working in multiple colleges simultaneously for the 2023-24 academic year. Subsequently, a university inquiry revealed that over 1,000 faculty members were listed as working in multiple institutions.
The new measures are expected to strengthen the integrity of the inspection process and ensure that only genuine faculty are recognized.
